Seven battle for Alu's Sunrise commission seat

Six men and one woman are in the running to replace Sheila Alu, a dynamic yet controversial city commissioner who resigned in December.

Alu's exit leaves voters with the task of replacing a prominent voice on the five-member board. The new commissioner will serve until November 2014, when Alu's term ends.

Five of the seven are making their first run for office in a pivotal election that could determine the direction the commission takes in a climate of ballooning costs and shrinking reserves.

The candidates include businessman Yomtov "Vivi" Assidon; retiree Imogene Ferguson, who ran for the commission in 2010; full-time student John Fusaro, who ran in November's commission race; financial service representative Kris Hobbs; general contractor David Iannacone; criminal defense attorney Neil Kerch; and James Tabeek, a fire captain in Delray Beach who will retire Feb. 14.

The winner will join the highest paid city commission in Broward County. Sunrise commissioners make $46,000 and are in line for lucrative benefits, including a pension.

Assidon, the only candidate known to regularly attend commission meetings, has won a key endorsement from U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Weston.

Assidon questions why Sunrise commissioners earn such a high salary. "It's a part-time job," he said. "To get paid so much money is absurd."

If elected, Assidon said he plans to opt out of the pension, $2,400 annual car allowance and $4,800 annual expense account given to commissioners. "I am not a lobbyist or a political guy," he said. "I'm not in anyone's pocket."

All seven candidates say they would bring peace to Sunrise City Hall, where meetings turn combative at times.

Ferguson says that is one reason she got in the race. "I think my presence will make a difference," said the grandmother and former social worker. "People tell me that, when I'm in a room, it's like their mother's there, so you watch your mouth. You're less likely to be disrespectful."

As the lone woman and only African-American in the race, Ferguson said she can bring a new perspective to the commission, whose membership now includes four white men.

Fusaro,the only Hispanic in the race,is promising to help City Hall work on being business friendly. "I want to change the culture of the city and bring more business experience to the commission," he said. "City Hall is not known as being too quick to process permits."

Fusaro rapped the commission for relying on reserves to balance the budget in the past few years. "They need to address our financial problems," he said. "I don't believe they've done that. We've gone from $77 million in reserves down to $52.5 million."

Hobbs says he has the financial expertise needed to make smart decisions. "I can look at a budget and tell the best way to balance it," said Hobbs, the only Republican in the nonpartisan race.

He said he would like to see Sunrise employees given the option of transferring from a defined-benefit pension to a 401K retirement plan similar to what is offered in the private sector. "Some people do pick a 401K because you can take it with you [if you leave the job]," he said.

Hobbs and his wife filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in September. The father of two says his family had trouble paying the bills after his wife lost her job in late 2011.

Iannaconebills himself as a pro-growth candidate who has volunteered in the community for years. As a businessman, Iannacone says he has the right background to make a difference on the commission.

If employees are asked to take a pay cut, Iannacone said, the entire commission should do the same. He said he also thinks the city should create a second tier for newly elected officials by increasing the number of years for vesting in the pension and making other adjustments to reduce the cost to taxpayers.

Alu has endorsed Kerch,who says he wants to see Sunrise work harder to bring in new business and stop relying on reserves. "We can't keep dipping into the well $10 million at a time," he said. "Pretty soon, it's going to run dry."

Kerch said he doesn't think commissioners should be paid a pension unless they are putting in 40 hours per week. Full-time employees, however, should not have their pensions taken away, he said. "They do deserve the benefits, but it can't be out of proportion either," he said. "We may have to take a look at changing pensions for new hires."

Both the Sunrise police and fire unions are backing Tabeek, a longtime leader of the fire union in Delray Beach.

"I've been involved in public service my whole life, and I wanted to take it a step further," Tabeek said. "I feel that with my background, I'm better inclined to step in the seat."

After four years on the fire and police pension board in Delray Beach, Tabeek says he has an excellent understanding of government retirement plans.

He says he would not opt out of the Sunrise pension out of concern it might harm the fund. "If you give the employees or the elected officials the ability to opt out of the pension, you no longer have their contributions going to the plan," he said. "So that could affect the plan for the employees."